1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications and more specifically it relates to an alternative method to acquire directory assistance and other information services provided by an independent information service provider.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It can be appreciated that local telephone providers, for example AT&T, Verizon, Bell South and Sprint, have been offering telephone toll services for years. Typically, these services are offered to the subscriber through assigned dial-up numbers such as “411” or “555-1212” to gain traffic, weather and date/time reports and directory assistance. These nationally recognized numbers are handled by the regional telephone carrier that returns billing for their use on the monthly bill of the telephone subscriber. These toll service features, available through many telephone compliant systems, are especially convenient to the wireless cellular user typically needing information while traveling, anxious to avoid a traffic jam or looking for a business or restaurant.
FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of one version of the telephone system 100 with a toll service feature platform. The feature platform is operated by the telephone service provider to provide various information services for their subscribers. As is well known, a telephone subscriber originates a call 101 by dialing the desired number which is detected at local switching office 103. The switching office provides call routing of the call across the network 104 to the call destination 105. For a cellular telephone connection 102, the switch office would be a cell site and mobile switching center (MSC) to link the wireless call to the landline network. If the subscriber dialed an information toll service, the switch office would recognize the assigned number, such as “411”, and route the call to the appropriate feature platform which, in this example, includes directory assistance 108. An information database 107 stores the information data to be accessed by an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) 106 system and/or live operator 108. In an effort to save costs, a caller may be first delivered to a basic “if this, push 3” type IVR system and, with any confusion in the IVR system or by caller request, a live operator will come on line to resolve the call. Even simple menu driven IVR type systems have proven to reduce feature costs through reduced call center loading. With conclusion of the feature toll service, the feature platform generates a file in billing 109 to bill the telephone subscriber.
Unfortunately, these prior art methods to provide toll services by the telephone providers for their subscribers continue to be costly to the subscriber. The telephone subscriber has no alternative to the carrier's available service and fees. For example, an AT&T cellular subscriber may dial “411” and will receive an AT&T managed directory assistance call center. The following bill will typically itemize each call but will also indicate a fee for each call to directory assistance regardless of the call plan. Directory assistance is very popular, even considered necessary by the typical mobile cellular telephone user but even moderate usage can result in a large bill. Landline telephone users also rely on directory assistance for new, out of the area listings or other numbers not covered by the regional telephone directory books. Many subscribers require fast, voice driven information access. Searching the Internet or the improbable help of a telephone directory book (unavailable, outdated, wrong coverage, no coverage etc.) is not a viable option to travelers and commuters or subscribers without access to a computer.
Also, existing telephone carrier operated service features may be accessed by anyone using the subscriber telephone with the activated features. Therefore, a subscriber may have little control over unauthorized use of those services (i.e. a large business) and will receive a costly telephone bill.
An alternative telephone information service is needed to correct the problems of the prior art methods. This alternative resource would provide efficient two-way voice interactive telephone access, create account access passwords selected by the caller in the form of voice recognition or a voice print and operate such that the caller is charged a minimal or no fee to enjoy the service.
In these respects, the present inventive solution substantially departs from the conventional concepts, methods and apparatus designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides a method for the purpose of providing an alternative telephone information service.